Terminal means



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Nov. 20, 1962 J. H. HOPKINS ETAL TERMINAL MEANS Original Filed Aug. 15,1959 INVENTQRS. Joseph H. Hapkms Allan S. Van Sly/re Their Attorney3,%5,448 Patented Nov. 20, 1952 2 Claims. (Cl. 339-217) This inventionrelates to electrical connectors, and particularly to terminals adaptedto facilitate connection therewith relative to multiple mating terminalmeans.

This is a divisional application of a co-pending application, S.N.833,449, filed August 13, 1959, now Patent 2,989,723, granted June 20,1961.

An object of this invention is to provide new and improved terminalmeans having structural features to facilitate connection therewithrelative to multiple mating terminal means.

Another object of this invention is to provide male terminal meanshaving increased stability relative to an insulating housing and adaptedto facilitate connection involving multiple terminal mating means.

Another object of this invention is to provide a terminal means havinglaterally located rail portions adapted to provide a stop againstmovement in one direction in an insulating body and to providestabilization of the terminal in the body to avoid tilting of theterminal which is also strengthened and stiffened by a re-enforcing ribportion extending longitudinally in alignment with a centrally-locatedtang of the terminal.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a male-bladeterminal means having laterally-located rail portions adapted toextendlongitudinally as well as partly inwardly and always integrallywith a floor portion of the terminal means also having a tang inlongitudinal alignment with first and second embossed rib portions, oneof the dual rib portions having less depth than the other and extendinglongitudinally into a male-blade portion.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention areclearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are plan, side, and end views, respectively, of amale-blade terminal means in accordance with the present invention andmountable in an insulating body as shown in FIG. 4 that includes anillustration of a female terminal means positioned for connection to theinsulating body and male-blade terminal means.

It is to be noted that the female terminal means such as 14b shown inFIG. 4 can be also mounted in insulating housings, complementary torecess or hollow interior 30h of the insulating body 3d. The femaleterminal means 14!] is provided with an embossed portion E swaged ordeformed laterally to one side of a fio-or F thereof. A tang T isintegral at one end with the embossed portion E and the tang is cut fromthe floor P such that an opening is left therein. The embossed portion Ecan be slightly wider than the tang and is therefore at least partiallyin longitudinal alignment with the tang T and opening 0. The opening 0remains in the floor F and the tang T can be deformed or deflectedrelative to the floor without hindrance by engagement of outer freeedges of the tang relative to edges of the opening 0 because theembossed portion E maintains a predetermined spacing of the tang Trelative to the floor. Thus the tang T can be deformed or deflectedtemporarily for insertion tion 32s. provided a first embossed portion32g which is swaged portion 32g.

and/or removal relative to an insulating body as shown in the Patent2,682,038, Johnson mentioned earlier. The embossed portion E and tang Trepresent structure which is an improvement over that shown by Patent2,682,038.

In FIG. 1 there is shown a male terminal means generally indicated bynumeral 32 having a body portion 32a and ferrule portion 32,. The bodyportion has a tapered edge 32e and includes a central stabilizingportion 32s located intermediate the body portion 32a and ferruleportion 32 The stabilizing portion 32s is located in a plane parallel toa plane that passes through the blade portion 32a. A tang 32t is cut outof the stabilizing portion 32s leaving an open space 32x having roughedges relative to which the tang 321 would bind and be hindered wheneverthe tang 32t is deformed and temporarily bent back relative to thestabilizing por- To avoid such hindrance of the tang, there is ordeformed downwardly from the stabilizing portion 32s and which islongitudinally in alignment with the tang 32: having one end integralwith the first embossed The terminal means 32 is further provided with asecond embossed portion 3211 having less depth than the first embossedportion 32g. The depth of the first embossed portion 32g is at leastequal to and pref- .erably greater than the thickness of the tang 32LThe resilience of the tang 32t is enhanced due to the presence of theembossed first portion 32g and longitudinal rigidity of the body portion32a of the male-blade terminal means is increased relative to thestabilizing portion 32s due to the second embossed portion 32h. Thesecond embossed portion 32h extends from the body portion 32a into theone end of the stabilizing portion 32s adja cent to and in longitudinalalignment with the first em bossed portion 32g. The second embossedportion 3211 is in a plane parallel to and intermediate to the planes ofthe body portion 32a and stabilizing portion 32s as can be best seen inFIGURE 2.

The stabilizing portion 32s is further provided with a laterallyoutwardly and upwardly extending wing structure including first parallelparts 32p and laterally inwardly extending and diverging second parts32d. The relationship of the parallel parts 32p and diverging parts 32dwith respect to the male-blade body portion 32a, the second embossedportion 32/1 and first embossed portion 32g as well as tang 321 can bebest seen in FIG. 3 which is an end view also illustrating the ferruleportion 32; in an uncrimped condition. The male terminal means 32 isoutlined in FIG. 4 to show fitting thereof relative to an insulatinghousing generally indicated by numeral 30 and having a hollow interior39h. The exploded view of FIG. 4 illustrates a partially sectionedelevational View of a female terminal means 1412 noted previously ,andhaving the embossed portion E and tang T as described earlier. Thehollow interior 30h of the insulating housing 39 is formed by sideWalls, a pair of which are provided with longitudinally extendinggrooves complementary to the first parallel parts 32p of the terminalmeans 32. The body portion 32a of the terminal means fits into a neckportion 30m formed as an extension of the grooves 30g. The neck portion3011 of the housing 39 is adapted tobe located laterally on oppositesides of the second embossed portion 3211 of the terminal means 32. Thetang 3% of the terminal means engages a shoulder 30s formed along abottom surface of one of the wall portions of the housing 30. A similarshoulder 30s is formed along an upper wall portion so that the terminalmeans 32 can be assembled into one end of the body or housing 30 ineither of two opposite directions and yet properly provide for theconnection to the mating female connector. The two positions areobtained by a 180 rotation aroundthe'longitudinal axis of the terminalmeans 32. The first and second parts 32p and 32d can be described asside rails that provide a forward stop for the terminal means 32relative to the housing 3% while a backward'stop is obtained by the useof the tang 32t having a central location relative to the stabilizingportion 32s. These ralis enhance stabilization relative to the housing30 and also strengthen and stiffen terminal means 32.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

l. A male-blade electric terminal means for attac r ment to conductors,comprising, a ferrule portion adapted to be crirnped into engagementwith an end of a conductor, a blade portion as well as a stabilizingportion joined to said ferrule portion, said stabilizing portion havinga location in between said blade portion and said ferrule portion so asto have said stabilizing portion include both a first pair of membersextending integrally outwardly and upwardly from said stabilizingportion as well as a second pair of members extending integrallyupwardly at an angle relative to both said first members and saidstabilizing portion for increase in rigidity of said male-blade terminalmeans at a location intermediate said ferrule portion and said bladeportion, a tang bent downwardly away from said stabilizing portion andhaving a free end located in a direction toward said second pair ofmembers, and embossed means including a first portion to enhanceresilience of said tang and a second portion of less depth than thefirst portion and joined thereto at one end, said first and secondembossed portions having axial alignment with each other as well as withsaid tang and blade portion, said second embossed portion providingincreased longitudinal strength at a location where said blade portionand stabilizing portion are joined to each other, said tang being joinedReferences Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 252,457,703 Merkel Dec. 28, 1948 2,716,744 Swanson et al Aug. 30, 19552,768,361 Aquillon et al Oct. 23, 1956

